More Teyla than Teyla/Rodney really...letter B for the LiveJournal challenge community "letterlove"
Belonging
Sometimes it's a look from one of the new arrivals, curious to see a native of Pegasus with their own eyes. Other times, it's an inanimate object, a piece of food or a certain smell. They may be from the other side of the universe, but Atlantis belongs to them. It is their belongings that the city houses, their breath that keeps it alive and their laughter that resonates throughout. On days like these, Teyla feels like a stranger in her own galaxy.
She wonders if she made the right decision. They could have stayed on Athos; the Wraith would be unlikely to return so soon after a culling. They would have had enough time to rebuild, perhaps further away from the gate. Some of their trading partners would have gladly taken them in or provided help with relocation. She could have moved to the mainland and continued as she had done for so many years, venturing to Atlantis only to use the Gate for trading purposes. But she didn't, and Teyla Emmagan was never one to live a life of regret. But sometimes she wonders what may have been.
"It's really not that bad, you know."
She looks up from her plate to see an amused look on Rodney's face. "The mashed potato? Okay, it's not really potato, but close enough. Trust me, it won't kill you."
Teyla gives him a small smile, absent of any of the usual warmth or humour. Rodney immediately puts his fork down and reaches for her hand. "What's wrong?"
She opens her mouth to speak before closing it again, unsure of how to convey her feelings. "Do you ever feel homesick, Rodney? Do you miss Earth?"
He chuckles before replying, "Only when there's a Wraith with his hand heading towards my chest."
Sobering when he sees the sadness in her eyes, he clears his throat before speaking again. "Sometimes. But this, being here, is everything I've ever dreamed of."
"You mean your work. The Ancestors' technology."
"No. Well, yes, but not just that. For the first time in my life, I fit in. I feel at home. I have colleagues who respect me, who understand me and who listen to me. Most of all, I have colleagues who I would gladly call my friends...some even my family." He squeezes her hand gently, and this time is rewarded with the smile that he has come to cherish.
"Look, Radek's having a good day and hasn't blown anything up yet, so I could probably leave him alone for a while. Why don't I take you to the mainland this afternoon? You can catch up with Halling, and I could do with a break from the lab and a chance to sample some fine Athosian cuisine."
She nods eagerly and grips his hand tightly, appreciating his support. "I would like that very much."
"The break will do us both good. You'll return home all refreshed and ready to fight the Wraith with one hand tied behind your back." His jovial manner is infectious, and she finds herself smiling as she picks up her fork once more.
Home. The word swirls through Teyla's mind and doesn't seem as daunting as it had done a few moments ago. Regardless of what she and others may think, Atlantis was as much her home as it was to anyone else. She decides that there are worse places to live in this galaxy.